Any liberal / open-minded places worth leaving London for?

Would love to leave London, and probably need to be in Southern half of country, but terrified of that home counties, daily mail/telegraph reading culture and commuter belt. What places have the reputation of being open minded, creative cultural places? Brighton is an obvious choice, but there must be other places? Any ideas? On our wish list also - period properties, reasonable sized gardens, decent schools...

I think there are loads of open-minded places in this country. Good schools tend to be the norm outside London don't they?

I would avoid anywhere with a reputation for being insular if you are worried, but more or less any city will provide you with culture - and usually in a cheaper, more accessible way because of transport and cost.

This reminds me of a comment made by one of my Southern friends when we were on a train nearing Blackpool for a conference.

"Whenever I go out of London" she said "I remember why it is I live there".

It is diversity that's the key. I like living in a big and culturally diverse city... I just do. I like to see loads of people, have things to occupy my brain, exhibitions, shops of all kinds, loads of cinemas, jazz, venues for gigs, whatever, and all kinds of people living there including the creative types that gather. That's NOT to say you don't get culture in small places - you do - but generally not a huge diversity of stuff all in one place.

Also I do realise that where I grew up had culture - but it just wasn't for me, it was cheesy nightclubs, telly, football, rugby, football and football. I happen to be bookish and arty-farty so I prefer it here. I'm with the OP, I'd be equally unhappy in toryland. What's wrong with having a preference?